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When is your local chapter hosting a plant sale, presentation, or native gardening workshop? The CNPS Horticulture Events Calendar is searchable by CNPS chapter and type of event, including “Plant Sale” to help you plan for regional CNPS Chapter plant sales. The calendar is frequently updated, so be sure to check back for events in your area, or follow the CNPS Facebook page where we are posting many of these events as well. There’s never been a better time than now to transform your yard into a water-thrifty, habitat-extending, native garden!

As part of our daily life, water and energy are getting a lot of attention as we come to realize their intertwined relationships. The Los Angeles Times just printed an article, “Water conservation’s other benefit: its a power saver,” that highlights some of the issues. Native plant gardening will not reap all the benefits of lower water use. For example, some benefit will come from people taking fewer or shorter showers with cooler water. But it hits home in the use of water for landscaping. Moving water around the state is one of the primary electrical expenditures in California.

When we decrease the amount of water that we use on landscapes, it is like getting a free power plant. Direct, no cost! So, let’s continue to encourage all who we see that this is a great alternative in so many ways. And, some day soon, it will be rare to see a photo of grass being watered in this state.

Well, that’s the new term: “Behavioral water efficiency.” Water districts are experimenting with ways to allow consumers to compare their water use to their neighbors’ levels. This tends to create more efficient behavior. And, since about half our water goes into our gardens, this is of interest to CNPS in implementing our outreach programs – getting more people interested in natives for a variety of reasons. Conservation of our precious heritage is joined by the everyday economics of running a household.

Do you think these sorts of programs make long-term behavioral change? I’d love to know your views, and any examples from your own patterns of use – not just water, but how you have modified and adapted your actions and activities in other ways that can help us to see how to affect change.

As the current weather conditions point up our vulnerability, the press is turning to local experts for ideas and advice. A perfect example: Greg Rubin’s photo and quote in this article from the San Diego Union Tribune.

In your communities, offer yourselves as experts to the press and extend our reach. If you’d like help in learning how, just give me a call or email me:

619 318 4590

skrzywicki@cnps.org

We can discuss talking points, statistics, and approach for getting our ideas across, along with providing photos and homeowners whose gardens would be good examples.

The San Francisco Flower and Garden Show is coming up: March 19th thru 23rd. Sherri will present in the “Learn with the Experts” track. Her topic will be “Relevance of Native Plants in a Water-tight World” – she is right on target with that message, isn’t she?

Thanks, Sherri, for taking on that speaking engagement!

We will have more news about other speakers and CNPS participation in the event in a few days…